Rivers APC faction rejects Appeal Court’s judgement

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

The Igo Aguma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has rejected the Court of Appeal’s judgement setting aside the decision of the High Court, which earlier declared Aguma the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state.

The faction immediately appointed Aguma’s Deputy, Golden Ben Chioma, to act temporarily as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party pending the completion of its appeal at the Supreme Court.

The faction in a statement signed by Aguma’s Media Adviser, Livingstone Wechie, described the appeal Court’s judgement sacking Aguma as unacceptable saying it would appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court.

Wechie said the court erred in its decision to rule on the matter that was already a subject of appeal at the Supreme citing Appeal number SC/CV/377/2020 between Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma v. Mr. Isaac Ogbobula & 2 Others. And appeal number SC/CV/489/2020 between Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma v. Mr. Isaac Ogbobula & 2 others.

back link building services=0></a></div><p>Wechie said: “Whereas we have always known this fact and it is undisputable that the case being a pre-election matter has been challenged at the Supreme Court.</p><p>“It, therefore, follows being a pre-election matter; the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to hear the APC Appeal ab initio. The APC Appeal was filed in July 2020 as an afterthought by the National Caretaker Committee, after the Adams Oshiomhole-led Committee which accepted the judgement and communicated same to Rt. Hon. Igo Aguma on the 23rd of June had been dissolved in defiance to National Executive Committee (NEC) directive of the APC.</p><h1> <span>Read Also:</span> <a href=https://thenationonlineng.net/sokoto-apc-inaugurates-caretaker-committee/ target=_blank rel=

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“The 1999 Constitution as amended makes it clear that pre-election matters are to be filed within 14 days. The APC Appeal is clearly over a month after the judgement was given and as such the Appeal Court had no jurisdiction to hear it in the first instance.

“This is our case. Infact the Supreme Court has been asked in the earlier Appeal by Ogbobula to determine whether this is a pre-election matter. In line with judicial procedures, there is an Affidavit of Facts before the Appeal Court in respect of the Appeals pending at the Supreme Court but the Appeal Court in its wisdom chose to go ahead anyways”.

Wechie said the Appeal Court was duly notified about the pending appeals and should note that it lacked the jurisdiction sit on Appeal over the Supreme Court or its judgements.